Exam 1 Guide

The exam will feature both objective questions and an essay

I. OBJECTIVE SECTION

For the objective part of the exam you will be expected to know the following (notice this information is contained in the relevant web outlines in Dr. Fajardo-Acosta's World Literature Website):

author name, nationality, main line of activity, and dates of birth and death for each one of the authors studied. For example: Jean Baptise Poquelin Moliere (1622-1673) , French playwright best known for his comedies

titles, genres (play, novel, poem, short story, etc) and dates of composition of the texts read in class (for example: Moliere's play Tartuffe, first staged in 1664)

the title of at least one work, in addition to the one read in class, by each of the authors studied

a quotation (your choice, memorize it from the text or from the outlines on the web) from each author studied. For example, Voltaire said, "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

the contents of the texts read in the class: main plot actions, episodes or situations described in the texts read, including the names of significant characters (to prepare to answer these questions you must carefully and thoroughly read each one of the the texts assigned)

At least one biographical event (your choice), with dates when appropriate, from the life of each author studied. For example: Moliere first performed his plays for the French king Louis XIV in 1658 with the Béjart Theatre Company

At least one (your choice) historical event or figure (with dates) relevant to the understanding of the works of each of the authors studied. For example: The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) began as a power struggle between Catholic and Protestant German aristocrats and eventually involved many of the European nations -- this event illustrates the historical realities of religious intolerance, persecution, and the ways in which religion was used to justify struggles for political power and wealth.

accurate understanding of the following terms (see Glossary and relevant web outlines):

literature

symbol

interpretation

ideology

overdetermination

translation

rhetoric

genre

comedy

Enlightenment

hubris

psychomachy

deus ex machina

satire

Bildungsroman

irony

 

 

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